Amid the current state of Ontario’s economy, it is not financially realistic for students to work for free.
As young students try to stay afloat with compiling student debts, loans and daily expenses, working an unpaid internship is no longer feasible.
With the labour market continuing to tighten, students are left with gaps in their resumés, drained bank accounts and the mounting pressure to land a full-time position.
Internships allow students to experience the field they want to pursue and could result in full-time job offers.
In Ontario, unpaid internships are illegal unless they are part of an educational program, but still follow the same labour standards as paid employees.
Paid or unpaid, internships are presented as invaluable opportunities for students to shadow industry professionals, build relationships and gain relevant field experience. But at what cost?
The current labour market is competitive and cutthroat, with more candidates than available positions. Statistics Canada identified that the labour market in 2025 was most challenging for youth.
Youth unemployment rate reached 14.7 per cent in September 2025, the highest rate since 2010.
Adults in their 20s are still living with their parents or forced to live in their childhood bedroom. The cost of living in Ontario has become impossible to navigate for young individuals, and job opportunities are fleeting.
Earning minimum wage, $17.60 an hour or about $36,000 pre-tax annually in Ontario, is no longer enough to support basic living expenses.
Currently, the average rent price for an apartment in Toronto is listed at $2,365 or $28,380 a year, which would eat the majority of a minimum-wage worker’s income.
With most internships requiring 40-hour workweeks over several weeks or months, the possibility of working part-time on the side is not a realistic option for most.
But for some, it’s the only option.
Unpaid internships often favour students from wealthier backgrounds, granting them experience and network building. They worsen social and economic inequalities.
A student from a wealthier background would be able to afford taking an unpaid internship, compared to a student who has to provide for themselves.
A self-sufficient student is forced to choose between a great opportunity at an established corporation and financial security.
For many, the choice is not simple. Internship experience can result in a job offer, boost resumé credentials or may be a mandatory requirement for graduating.
For others, there is no choice at all.
Students who support themselves may not even consider applying to unpaid internships because of their financial standing.
The exclusion of lower-income students from unpaid internships stems from systemic barriers that assume all students can afford to work for free.
The average education debt students carry after graduation is about $30,600. Students should not have to plunge themselves further into debt by working for free. Instead, they should be compensated for their time and hard work.
Funding, grants and government subsidies are necessary to bridge the gap for financially insecure students, ensuring all students are granted equal opportunities.
Access to internships should be equitable and balanced and should not rely on a student’s financial status. A student should not be denied an opportunity that another student doesn’t have to think twice about.
Internships create valuable hands-on learning experiences and build practical skills that cannot be taught in a classroom. But pursuing an unpaid internship should not come at the cost of students’ financial stability.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)